US2146710A

US2146710A - Drink mixer switch

Info

Publication number: US2146710A
Application number: US114348A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bloomfield Samuel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-12-05
Filing date: 1936-12-05
Publication date: 1939-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1956-02-14

Description

\ S. BLOOMFIELD DRINK MIXER SWITCH Feb. 14, 1939.

Filed Dec. 5, 1936 INVENTOR. BY j y HIS ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to drink mixers, and particularly to an improved form of standard and automatic switching mechanism therefor.

More particularly stated, the invention provides a novel switch adapted to be mounted interiorly of the mixer standard, and having an operating member extended from the standard for engagement by a mixing cup to start the mixing motor when the cup is in position and stop the motor when the cup is removed. The mounting of this switch is facilitated by novelly constructing the standard in two sections, a feature which also facilitates the manufacture and handling of the mixer unit,

Further and more particular features of construction and operation will appear as the following particular description proceeds in view of the several figures of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the improved mixer;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective of one form of novel switch;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the switch of Fig.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional operating detail of the switch of Fig. 5 in operated condition;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of a modified form of switch operating structure.

In the art to which the present invention apertains, it is common practice to provide switching mechanism on the mixer standard which is adapted to be operated by variously arranged mechanisms responsive to the placing of the mixing cup in position, and it is a particular object of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive and rugged switch of this general class which is very easily mounted within the mixer standard, and which is very easy to manufacture. In addition, the standard is divided into two sections, which facilitates the placement of the switch within the same.

As seen in Fig, 1, the mixer standard comprises a base part having a substantially central bore l2, and terminating at its upper extremity in a gentle taper I4.

The upper section or goose-neck [6 has at its lower extremity an interior taper generally indicated at 18, such that the goose-neck may be telescoped upon the tapered upper end portion of the base 10, a set screw 20 being threaded through the lower portion of the goose-neck taper for engagement in a threaded or unthreaded opening in the base. A usual form of mixing motor 22 is bolted into a cradle yoke 23 at the upper extremity of the goose-neck, and is provided with the usual depending mixing shaft 24. A downwardly depending cup clip 26 is secured by screw means 2'! beneath the goose-neck, on the exterior of the upper section of the {standard adjacent 'the' motor, while the lower support for the cup is provided by the operating knob of the novel switch to be described hereafter.

As seen by convenient reference between Figs. 2 and 3, one preferred form of the novel switch includes a stationary insulating block 30 secured interiorly of the lower standard section by a counter-sunk set screw 32." This block has an upwardly extending and tapered contact plug 34, preferably enlarged at its lower end within the insulating block, for threadable engagement by a contact screw 36 to which one of the conductor's 3] in the circuit of motor 22 is conted V A movable or jack connecting block 40 is carried in a metal jacket or frame 42 and slidable toward and away from the stationary contact 34 by virtue of the following described construction. The frame 42 preferably comprises a base portion 43 having at its longitudinal extremities on both sides a pair of stuck-up arms, the uppermost end portions 4 5 of which are turned inwardly so as to hook around the upper edge portions of the insulating block 40 when the latter is pressed between the oppositely disposed pairs of arms. An upper end portion of the base 43 is struck overto provide an end'wall 46 having an integrally struck or attached eyelet 41, in which is engaged a tension spring 48, this spring being anchored by means of a screw 49 to the inner side of the main standard so as to urge the movablecontact structure away from the stationary contact or plug 34.

The moving or jack contact member is further provided with a metallic insert contract 50 secured in place by threadable engagement with a screw 5| extending into .the insulating block, and to which the other conductor 35 of the switch circuit cable is connected. The insulating block 40 and the insert contact 59 are drilled in a longitudinal sense, and tapered for a snug contact fit with the stationary contact 34. Extended outwardly from the :base portion 43 or the jacket or frame is .a threaded lug 52 of sufiicient length to pass through a vertically elongated slot 53 in the front vertical wall portion of the standard, for threadable engagement with a bottom supporting lug 54. The bottom supporting lug '54 is a knob-shaped member preferably of'insulat'ing material, and desirably of eration of the mixer.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified form of the switch operating mechanism in which the construction of the switch itself is substantially identical with that shown and described in connection with Fig. 3, the difference being found in the mechanism for engaging the mixing cups to operate the switch, and particularly in the fact that the lug or knob 54 has been omitted and a switch-v operating stud 58 extended from the base portion as through the vertical slot 53 in the front wall of the standard. I

In order to support the bottom of the cup 9 in mixing position, a novel bracket 62 is attached in its lower regions to the front wall of the lower' standard by means of screws 63, and has an angularly offset upper end portion 64 provided with an elongated opening or slot 65 which terminates at its lower end in an enlarged area 66 below the bend $7, between the oifset upper portion and the lower portion of the bracket. The enlarged portion 66 of the bracket slot 35 is positioned adjacent the lowermost extremity of the vertical standard slot 53 in such manner that the switch-operating stud 60 may be moved downwardly to the lower limit of its travel, with the end portions of the stud having passed downwardly through the slot portion 65 in the offset end portion of the bracket, and with the innermost portion of the stud 66 resting in and against the lower enlarged region of the bracket in the positionillustrated in Fig. 4. r

' The operation of the device is such that, assuming the motor 22 to be connected with a source of power, circuit to which is completed through the conductors 35-31, the operator may position the mixing cup 9 by first urging the upper rim portions thereof beneath and upwardly under the spring finger 26, which movement will bring the base of the cup at a point substantially above either the bottom stopping lug or knob 54 or the operating pin 60, depending upon which type of switch is being used, and thereafter the bottom of the cup may be moved inwardly toward the standard and the cup permitted to settle a short distance so as to cause the concave bottom portion thereof to engage and bear downwardly against the knob 54 or pin 68. Thereafter, the weight of the cup and its contents will urge the knob 5G or the pin 60 in a downward direction to the bottom limit of the slot 53 in the standard, and the moving jack contact will tension its spring 4-3 as it moves downwardly and telescope in contacting relation with the stationary contact 54, thus completing the circuit to the motor and driving the mixing stem 24 thereof.

When the mix is completed, the lower portion of the cup Q is simply pulled outwardly away from the standard, thus disengaging the bottom of the cup from the knob 54 or the pin 50, and bracket arm 64, and permitting the tension spring 48 to snap the moving contact block upwardly out of engagement with the stationary contact plug 34 to break the circuit and stopthe motor. Thus the motor circuit is broken quickly and surely,

with no other action on the part of the operator than that of withdrawing the cup from its support.

In the case of the form of Figs. 1 and 2, the conical shape of the knob 54 and the angular disposition of the concave bottom rim portions of the cup 9, provide a relatively secure engagement between the cup and bottom supporting stud which obviates any danger of the cup falling away from its support, while at the same time the formation of these cooperating parts requires a minimum of effort in disengaging the cup from such support.

In the form of Fig. 5, the angular disposition of the offset arm 6d of bracket 62 is adapted to correspond to the angular disposition of the rim portion of the concave cup bottom, the engagement of the rim with the switch-operating stud or pin fill being entirely adequate to maintain the pin at a level below the ofiset arm portion 64, so that when the bottom of the cup is. moved outwardly away from the standard in disengaging the same, it will glide easily off the upper angular bracket extension and off the pin 60 to permit the latter and its movable switch member to snap into open circuit position.

It should be observed in the drawings that in their normal open circuit relationship, the fixed or stationary contact and the movable or jack contact are spaced apart a distance sufficient to bring the upper end portion 34' of the stationary contact pin 34 safely away from the movable contact sleeve 50, while at the same time not removing the sleeve portion of the movable insulating block 40 entirely out of engagement with the upper end 34 of the pin 34. Thus the movable contact is provided with a guiding means which assures that the movable and stationary contact members will always be in smooth operating relationship.

From the foregoing detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent that I have provided a novel switch mechanism comprising a stationary contact plug and a movable jack block telescopingly engageable against the tension of an opening spring with the stationary plug, the switch being simply mounted within a hollow standard and the movable or jack contact having a stud portion extended through the frame for operative engagement with the bottom of a mixing cup. It will further be observed that I have provided a simple change in the standard by dividing the same into two telescoping sections, thus rendering the interior of the standard readily accessible for mounting of the switch and making desired connection or repairs. Moreover, I have provided a novel switch operating pin and cooperating cup support adapted to replace the conically-shaped knob or button type of support where desired.

The embodiment particularly described herein for illustrative purposes is susceptible of various changes, all of which are embraced and contemplated by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: e

l. A drink mixer switch for mounting in a hollow mixer standard and comprising an insulating member attached in said mixer standard, an elongated plug contact extended from said insulating member, a second insulating member having an elongated bore and contact means at an extremity thereof, a metallic frame member supportably embracing said second insulating member, cup supporting means including an operating arm extended from said frame member and constructed for engagement with the bottom of a mixing cup in such manner that the Weight of the latter will move said frame member toward said contact plug and telescope said second insulating member on said plug to position the said contact member in said second insulating member in contacting engagement with said plug, together with spring means attached to said stand-- ard and said frame and normally holding the frame and said second insulating member in position such that said contact means in the latter will be positioned out of operative engagement with said plug member, a portion of said bore at all times embracing said plug.

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the provision of a bracket mounted on said standard and having a substantially horizontally extensive offset portion provided with an aperture into which said arm from the frame member may descend when said switch is operated by a cup as set forth, said bracket supporting said cup in cooperation with cup engaging means on said standard.

3. In a drink mixer having a standard, a motor, and cup engaging means, cup-operated motor switch means mounted in the standard and having a switch-operating arm protruding exteriorly thereof, and a cup-supporting bracket on said standard and having an offset cup-bottom supporting portion with an aperture into which said switch-operating arm is moved by the weight of the cup to actuate the switch with the bottom of the cup resting on said oiTset portion of the bracket.

4. In combination: a standard for a drink mixer, a support carried by the standard and comprising a supporting lip having an elongated slot formed therein, and on which lip a cup is adapted to be positioned, and a switch mechanism including a movable operating stud and means for movably supporting said stud for movement into and from the slot of said lip, the said stud being movable into said slot by the Weight of a cup positioned upon said stud and supported by said supporting lip.

SAMUEL BLOOMFIELD.